A great thanks goes to Mel who loves this story far more than I deserve.
A special thanks to Sorcieré for Beta.

Remember this is based off the movie universe.

Also remember that words spoken in *----* is Elvish, the language of the Elves.

Enjoy:

Part 3:

They had walked for many days now. As they had gone further up the mountains,
the weather had become steadily colder even though Ororo held back the cold
as much as she could.
Suddenly Frodo lost his footing and started to fall down the mountain.

Strider quickly caught him and lifted him back to his feet.

"You alright?" he asked and Frodo nodded.

He immediately searched for the Ring that he had in a chain around his neck.
It was gone. He looked panicked to Strider and then to the way he had fallen.
Boromir had turned around and picked the Ring up; careful to only touch it
with his gloved hands. He looked intensively at it. Could this Ring save his
country from destruction? If not, what other hope was there left?

"It is strange that we shall suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a
thing," Boromir whispered. He looked intensively at it. Did this Ring really
possess so much power? Enough power to save his people?

"Such a little thing," Boromir added.

Logan grinned, not sensing the growing tension.

"Yeah. Nothin' but bullshit if you ask me," Logan agreed.

"Boromir," Strider said sternly and Scott noticed his hand had moved to his
sword handle. Scott was beginning to wonder if Strider trusted anyone in the
fellowship save Frodo, Gandalf and Legolas. "Give the Ring back to Frodo," he
commanded.

"He's worse than you with the orders, Scooter," Logan said dryly, something in
him wanting to defend Boromir as he too found it utterly ridiculous to risk
everything for a Ring.

"He's a King so he's excused," Rogue said softly to her husband and kissed his
cheek.

"Of course," Boromir replied to Strider's command. He walked to Frodo and
handed him the Ring. "I care not," as he said the words, all knew he didn't mean them.

He cared. A lot. The Ring was his last hope. The last hope for his people. And he was helping to destroy that one last hope with the Ring.

Boromir forced a smile before he turned his back to Frodo and Strider and
began walking again.
Seeing that everything was all right again Gandalf began to lead them further up, though the mood off the fellowship had suddenly become grimmer.

Boromir stood still and waited for Logan and Rogue to reach him before he began walking again.

"Thank you, Logan," he said sincerely and Logan sensed his thanks and respect
was hard won but when given it would last forever. Logan smiled at the other
man.

"No problem. I understand. Hell, I'm not even sure what the fuck we're doing
here myself. For all I care we should go back," Logan admitted and pressed
Rogue close to him. It was getting colder and if Strider were right this mission would soon prove
dangerous. He didn't care for either of those things as his healing factor
protected him from most dangers but his prime concern was his wife.

Nothing was worth risking her life for. Nothing!

"I'm not saying we shall go back. I respect Lord Elrond and his decision and
will follow it but if the Ring was given to my people - it could help us drive
the Orcs from our lands," Boromir explained and a pained look was in his eyes
at the thought of the pain his countrymen was in.

"I'm sorry for your pain, Prince," Rogue said softly and laid a gloved hand on
his shoulder. He smiled at her and nodded his thanks.

"Thank you, My Lady. Your husband is lucky to have a beautiful and kindhearted woman such as you by his side," Boromir said softly and Rogue blushed prettily.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"And I'm not a Prince. I'm the son of the Steward of Gondor," Boromir
corrected her.

"Steward....kinda like the President's son, if sons inherited the rule after
their fathers," Logan figured out and Rogue laughed and Boromir smiled
politely though he didn't understand the word 'president'.

"The markings on your shield...what do they mean?" Rogue asked, for the first time really noticing the strange letters on Boromir's shield. Earlier, they had been too far away to see the
details of the shield that the warrior carried on his back.

"They look Arabic, with 3 stars above," Logan said as he himself studied the
strange markings on Boromir's shield.

"It's the Steward's Seal. The letters are Elvish and is spoken *Arandur*. It
is an Elvish title and it means ''King's Servant' or in the common tongue;
steward," Boromir explained.

"Do all your words bear a meaning?" Rogue asked interested.

"All Elvish words do. Prince Legolas means Prince 'Green Leaf'..."

"It fits him," Logan bummed as he saw the Elf walk with ease through the
landscape.

"...Lord Elrond's name translates into 'Vault of Stars', Aragorn translates
rudely into King or Lord while Aragorn's beloved, the Lady Arwen means 'Noble
Maiden'."

"So all Elves bear names which has a meaning and fits their personality," Scott said, having
heard Boromir's explanation.

"Yes," Boromir confirmed.

"Does your name have a meaning?" Rogue asked.

"Yes. Boromir translates into 'Faithful Jewel'."

"I'm sure you'll live up to your name then," Rogue said kindly and meant it.

"I hope so I hope so," Boromir said and got a haunted look in his eyes and walked a bit faster, efficiently ending their conversation.

* * *

Soon the weather became really bad and by now, the snow was knee-deep.
The Hobbits were barefooted so Boromir carried Merry and Pippin, his shield
tied to his back while Strider carried Fordo and Sam, pressing them close to
try and give them more warmth. Further down the line Logan had put his own
cape over Rogue to try and keep her warm.

"Ororo, can't you do something about this weather?" Scott asked and pulled his
cape closer around himself.

Ororo flew besides Legolas. Unlike the others Legolas was able to walk on the snow and not sink through it. Legolas had explained it was because Elves weighted so little so the snow
didn't give beneath him. Ororo was also able to stay above the snow though her
constant flying was beginning to take its toll on her. Legolas and Ororo didn't feel the cold as the others did; Ororo never froze thanks to her mutant powers and Legolas was an Elf so the weather didn't bother him. Logan on the other hand could feel the cold but his healing factor prevented
it from doing him any harm.

"I'm holding off the worst but something about this weather is unnatural

and I can only command natural phenomena," Ororo explained and Scott nodded.

"I know."

"Sauron must be trying to slow us down," Logan yelled to be heard over the
loud wind.

"I hear a voice on the wind. Whispering," Legolas said and tried to hear the
words more clearly. "It's neither human nor Elvish," he told them.

Suddenly the wind got colder and stronger and pieces of the mountaintop
started to roll down towards them.

"I can stop it. I must stop it," Ororo said determined and flew up towards the
strange dark clouds and her eyes turned white as she called on her control
over the weather to help her friends. She let a wind take as much of the
falling snow pieces from the mountain away as she could but some pieces was
still falling towards the fellowship.

"Seek cover," Strider yelled and they all pressed as close to the mountainside
as they could.

"It's Saruman. He's trying to bring down the mountain," Gandalf yelled as the
big snow pieces fell down in front of them.
Strider and Boromir turned their backs to the falling snow and again used
their bodies to protect the Hobbits. Logan pressed Rogue close to the
mountainside, his arms around her and his back to the falling snow.

"Ororo! Come back down. This is not natural weather. Come down!" Scott yelled
panicked to his friend over the howling of the wind.

"Ororo!" Legolas yelled and ran out in the open as soon as the snow pieces had
passed them.

"Legolas! Don't! It's not safe!" Strider yelled after his friend.

Scott couldn't see Ororo anywhere due to the dark clouds and heavy snowfall.

"Legolas! Can you see her?" Scott yelled.

"Yes. I see her. She has called lighting to her," Legolas yelled back, concern
heavy in his voice. "She's.... she's starting to fall. She's falling," he ran
towards her as she fell with great speed towards the snow.

Scott tried to see but now he couldn't even see Legolas anymore.
As Ororo came down Legolas caught her in his arms and held her close. Her eyes
were closed and she was limp in his arms. With his heart in his throat he
searched for a pulse...and found one. Relieved he drew a deep breath.

"Legolas! Did you find her? Is she alright?" Scott asked concerned, having to
raise his voice to be heard not only over the wind but also over Gandalf's
attempts at blocking Saruman's attack and turn the weather.

"I found her. She's alive but exhausted. I will carry her until she is
better," Legolas said and came into view, Ororo in his arms.

"Gandalf, we have to go back. We can't go over the mountain," Strider yelled.

Gandalf considered his words. Saruman had been his mentor before he had joined
with Sauron. He was much stronger than himself. He couldn't beat him. But the
only other way was the tunnels the Dwarfs had made and in them there was
rumored to live a fire being called the Shadow that would kill everyone it encountered.

"We can't go on," Boromir agreed.

"Going on is suicide! " Logan yelled.

"Let the Ring bearer decide," Gandalf said and hoped Frodo knew which way
would prove the least dangerous.

"Frodo, which way?" Strider asked softly. Frodo looked from one to another.

Up until now he had never left his homeland, the Shire. He did not know which way was the
least dangerous but he knew this mountain was killing them.

"The tunnels," he decided. Gandalf drew a deep breath.

"Then the tunnels it is."

"About time! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to form a council to
decide that," Logan bummed as the fellowship began to go back the way they had
come, Legolas still carrying Ororo in his arms.

"Shall I carry her some of the way?" Scott offered though he was sure the
young Elf was stronger than his slim build would suggest.

"No. No, I have her," Legolas said and held her close. He drew as much of his
cape around her as he could to keep her warm.

*I have her,* he whispered softly and his eyes and voice filled with warmth
and love.

"I hope the tunnels are better than this," Rogue said, trying not to shiver
from the cold which was worse now than on the way up as Ororo was no longer
able to hold it back. Logan pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her
head.

"With our luck...I wouldn't count on it," Scott mumbled grimly.

TBC

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